Posted by By MUYIWA OYINLOLA on
Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) governor-elect in Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim says his victory at the polls was divine, and cannot be traced to any god-father.
Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) governor-elect in Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim says his victory at the polls was divine, and cannot be traced to any god-father.
"The good thing about me is that I am a product of God Almighty. I have no god-father other than God Almighty. I have no investor other than myself and God Almighty," said Ohakim in Lagos on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of The Sun Publishing Ltd. He was received by the company's Deputy Managing Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Dimgba Igwe, editors and top managers of the newspaper.
Ohakim added that he would do his best as offering service to God by placing the interest of his people on the front burner of Imo administration.
The governor-elect also pledged to work in harmony with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who would dominate the legislative arm of the government.
He ruled out the possibility of a rift between him and the lawmakers since what would be paramount was the development of the state.
"Now, there is nobody elected into the Imo State House of Assembly that is not an indigene of the state. Everybody is an Imo citizen, with a common motive of serving the people for an accelerated development. What is the goal of Ikedi Ohakim? To come and serve the people for accelerated development. So, we have to ensure that we serve our people.
"And I have seen that there is nobody that is coming in there that is not my friend. So, we are going to do that which nobody has done before. There is going to be that marriage that will move Imo forward. All of us have got to come in," he said.
Moreover, he stressed that political party affiliation would amount to nothing in his government, saying that the interest of the people of the state would be the agenda of all and sundry.
Commenting on the insinuation that he could defect to the ruling PDP before the end of his tenure in office, the politician said the rumour was unfounded and baseless.
"I don't dwell in the realm of probability. Everybody is entitled to his thought. I'm thinking about the development of my state now. What am I flowing there to do? Anywhere I'm flowing, I'm flowing for development.
"I don't want to start talking about political parties, its unnecessary now. Why should I flow? Can you give any reason?" he asked.
Consequently, Ohakim said that he would work out his heart for the development of Imo, to the point that his administration would be a point of reference in the state.
Although he did not disclose exactly what his major priority would be, he stressed that his action programme would be unveiled after the swearing-in ceremony.
"I will give them one point they must note me for, where history would remember me, that this is what this man did for the people of Imo State.
"And one week after my swearing-in, there is going to be what they call the big bang, which will show the people the direction that I'm going, and I don't want to let the cat out of the bag now," he said.